Feeding mechanism for sewing machines



A. DE VOE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 20, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l NE P I 1 E5:

WITNESSES: INVENTOR Y W I EASZKWZ FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWINQMACHINES Apr. 17, 1923.

DE VOE 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20 WITNESSES:

INVENTOR awflw/fi ATTORNEY Patented Apr. "t7, teas.

unis rare TNT ALBERT H. DE VOE, OF V/"ESIFIELD, NEE? JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER IVIANU- FACTURING COIVIPANY, OF ELIZABETH, NEW -L'ERSEY, A COFZPOBATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING IiIACI-IINES.

Application filed March 20, 1920. Serial No. 367,556.

To aZZ'w/lom-it may concern: I automatic means whereby the drag of the Be it known that I, Annnn'r H. DE Von, a Presser-foot on the work may be compencitizen of the United, States, residing at sated for and upper and under plies of mate- Westtield, in the county of Union and State rial fed uniformly, regardless of the works 5 of New Jersey, have invented certain new thickness.

and useful Improvements in Feeding Mech- These and other objects are realized in my anisms for Sewing Machines, of which the present construction in which preferably a following is aspecilication, reference being needle-driving rock-shaft is provided with a had therein to the accompanying drawings. crank-disk, having a tapering circular open- This invention relates to sewing machines ing, within which fits a spring-pressed frusand particularly to' feeding mechanisms to-conical member which is thus driven therefor in which. differentially actuated through frictional engagement therewith. members are moved to gather or full fabric The frusto-conical member is preferably in advance of the presser foot in order that provided with a roller-stud having driving it may be subsequently sewed in either a connection with a pivoted feed-blade carryruitled or a substantially normal condition, ing arm, fulcrumed on a hanger from which free from distortion "or stretch, according to the feeding movements of the blade are dethe character of the work. rived through a connection wit-h a pivotally It has for its object to provide an imadjustable crank-element on the crank-disk.

20 proved high speed differentially movable The hanger is fulcrumed on a supporting feeding mechanism which is simple in conlever which is in turn fulcrumed on the struction, compact, readily adjustable and frame of the machine. This hanger has an quick acting. adjustable connection with the presser-foot A further object of the invention is to prolifting mechanism, and there is a yielding vide mechanism for imparting four motions means provided which tends to turn this to an upper feeding member from a single lever about its fulcrum to maintain the blade driving shaft and through connections that in contact with the work during its feeding permit the lengths of the feeding and lifting movements. Adjustable stops are provided strokes thereof to be varied,to provide means for limiting the lifting movements of the 30 acting independently of the presser-foot for blade.

urging the upper feeding member against The present improvement in its broad asthe fabric and to provide an adjustable pects is related to the invention disclosed in means or stop to prevent the auxiliary feedmy cope-riding application Serial No. 132,-

ing element from coming in contact with the 21, filed Nov. 21, 1916.

teeth of the main feeddog at such time as My invention also consists in certain dethe material being stitched may pass out tails of construction which are illustrated in from under the presser-foot. the embodiment shown in the drawings in It is also an object of the invent-ion to which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the head provide a lost motion connection between the of the machine showing my feeding mechaauxiliary feeding member and the pressernism in position. Fig. 2 is aview similar foot so that when the latter is raised for the to Fig. l with the face-plate and certain removal of work the auxiliary member will elements of the feeding mechanism removed.

be raised also, but which during normal op- 3 is a sectional elevation substantially eration as the presser-foot is raised by inon the line of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is an eleequalities in the work will not raise the auxvation of the rear side of the face-plate.

ilia-ry feeding member from engagement Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective of certain ele with the Work. ments of the drive for the auxiliary member.

And another object of my invention is to Fig. 6 is a perspective of the forward end provide in a differential feeding mechanism of the main driving shaft.

The embodiment of the machine illustrated comprises an overhanging head 1 of the machine in which is mounted a presserbar 2 at the lower end of which is the resser-foot 3. Mounted on the presser-bar and adj ustably secured thereto by a set screw 4: is a block 5. 6 is a yoke having sliding connection with the presser-bar on opposite sides of the block as shown and is provided with a cut away portion 7 to allow for a certain movement of the presser-bar without imparting movement to the yoke. Fulcrumed in the head of the machine at 8 is an ordinary hand lifting cam 9 contacting with a roller-stud 10 mounted on the yoke 6 through which the presser-bar and presserfoot may be raised for the insertion and removal of work in the usual manner. The block 5 has extending from the rear thereof a portion 11 in which is mounted the rod 12 having sliding engagement in the bearing 13 in the head 1 to prevent turning of the presser-bar. The upper part of the extension 11 is provided with a slot 1 1 in which is fitted the roller-stud 15 mounted in the end of the crank 16 pivoted in the head 1 at 17 and to which is secured the usual connection from an ordinary foot-treadle, not shown, for lifting the presser-foot. Mounted on the overhanging arm of the machine is a spring 18 hearing on the upper end of the presser-bar 2 to hold the presser-foot down upon the work.

Also mounted in the head 1. is the needlebar 19 which is reciprocated by crank 20 driven from an. oscillating shaft 21. Secured to the lower end of the needle-bar is a needle-clamp 22 for sustaining the needles 23 in any desirable manner.

Adapted to extend through the throatplate 2 1 and to cooperate with the lower side of the presser-foot 3 for feeding the work in the usual manner, is the feed dog 25.

'The mechanism so far described is common and well known.

Also mounted on the main-shaft 21 is a crank 26 provided with a groove 27 in which is mounted the shank 28 of a driving mem ber 29. The shank 28 is secured to the crank 26 by means of screws 30 or by any other suitable means. The member 29 is preferably formed as a disk as shown, in the center of which and in alinement with the axis of the shaft 21 is provided a tapered opening 31. The shaft 21 is rocked or oscillated by means of any suitable driving mechanism.

Secured to the front of the head is the face-plate 32 the lower portion of which is covered by the plate 32 secured thereto by suitable screws 32". Mounted in the plate is a bearing. 33 provided with a flange 33 whereby it may be secured to the plate by means of thescrews 34. The bearing 33 is preferably a tubular member in the bore of which at its outer end and having screw threaded engagement therewith is a sleeve 35, which may be secured in adjusted position by a lock-nut 35. Also mounted within the bore of this hearing 33 at the inner end is the shank 36 of a driven member 37. This shank is reduced at 38 so as to slide within the opening 39 in the sleeve 35 and to form a shoulder with the body of the shank 36 and surrounding the reduced portion 38 and between the shoulder and the sleeve 35 is a spring 39. The'driven member 37 is provided with a frusto-conically shaped boss 40 adapted to fit within the tapered opening 31 in the driving element or disk 29. The bearing 33 is formed separately from and adjustably mounted on the face-plate 32 for convenience in manufacture, this facilitating alinement of the driven member 37 with respect to the driving member 29.

Mounted in a groove or channel 41 in the face-plate 32 are two adjustable stops 12 and 43. The driven member 37 is provided with a lateral extension 1 1 011 which is mounted a block 41-5 which when the driven member 37 is oscillated moves between the opposed ends of the stops 42 and 43. The driven member 37 is also provided with a lateral extension 16 which is provided with a roller-stud 17.

On the rear face of the driving member 29 is the adjustable plate which is pivoted to the member at 51 and at the upper end is provided with a screw 52 extending through a slot 53 formed in the disk 29 diagonally opposite the fulcrum 51. By tightening this screw 52 the plate 50 is held in adjusted positiom The plate 50 is also provided with a stud 5% upon which is pivotally mounted the block 55. Y

The auxiliary feed member comprises a blade 56 mounted to engage the upper side of the work in advance of the stitching mechanism. My device is however not limited to use with a. feeding member but is equally adapted for use with a rufflng. fulling or shirring blade. This blade is formed with a shank 57 and a portion 58 bent at right ang es thereto on the lower end of which is formed a series of teeth for engaging the work. The shank 57 is secured by means of a screw 59 to a block 60 and also by means of a screw 61 to a lever 62. The lever 62 is in turn fulcrumed at 63 on a feed-carrier or hanger 64 which is fulcrumed at 65 to a supporting lever 66 fulcrumed at 67 on the head of the machine. The supporting member or hanger 64 at its lower end has a projection 68 spaced forwardly of the portion in which the fulcrum 63 is located and provided with a guiding member 69 secured thereto bv means of the screws 70. The block 60 on the shank 57 has a reduced portion adapted to be guided between the member 69 and portion 68 of the hanger 64.

' The upper end of the hanger 64 is forked as the stud 79.

shown at 71 and embraces the block on the rear face of the driving member 29. The supporting lever 66 is provided with a channel 72 in which is adj ustably secured a member 73 having an overhanging portion Yet at its upper end. The lower edge of this overhanging portion is during normal. operation extended over the roller stud 10 by which the presser-bar is lifted as clearly shown in Fig. 2. It is however, normally not in con tact with this roller-stud so that the presserfoot may lift a certain amount due to inequalities in the work without affecting the auxiliary feeding member. The member 73 is adjustably secured to the lever 66 by means of screws and slots 7 5. The fulcrum 67 of the supporting lever 66 exteu'ils through a bearing in the head of the machine and is provided at the end opposite the lever 66 with acrank 76 provided with a roller stud 7S. Tending to turn the fulcrum 67 through the crank 76 and roller-stud TS is a spring 79 which has an abutment against the head of the machine at its central i tion and at its upper end is mounted on 80 is a thumb screw by which the ressure of the spring may be adjusted in a well known manner.

The connection at 65 between the hanger 64c and the supporting lever 66 comprises the pin 81 secured to the hanger and extending through a. bearing lug on the lever-'66, and it is provided with a collar 83 which may be secured to the end thereof by a set screw to retain the pin 8? in the bearing 82.

The lever 62, to the lower end of which the shank 57 of the auxiliary feeding member 56 is secured, is provided at its upper end with a fork 8 f embracing the roller-stud l7 on the driven member 37.

In operation the shaft 21 oscillated through any suitable driving mechanism. This oscillation reciprocates the .needlebar l9 and the needles 23 in a well known manner. As the driving member 29 is also secured to the shaft 21 it oscillates therewith and through frictional'engagement withthe frusto-conical boss'of the driven member 23" oscillates this member also. The oscillation of the member 37, however, is limited by contact of the'block4t5 with the adjustable stops 42 and 43. By adjusting these stops higher or lower on the face-plate or nearer together or farther apart the amount of the oscillation of the driven member 3? may be varied and also the angular position of this member about its axis. As this memberthrough the stud a and lever 62 imparts pering opening 31 in the driving disk 0 member 29 may be adjusted by screwin the t: sleeve 35 outwardly and inuuirdly in bearing member thus varying the pressure on the spring :39. After the sleeve is adjusted it may be secured in adjusted positionby lock-nut 35.

Feeding movements are imparted to the auxiliary feed member 56by oscillation of the supporting member or hanger 6% about its fulcrum on the supporting lever 66. This member 64: is oscillated from the adjustable plate 50 on the rear of the oscillating disk or driving member 29 through the block 55. It will be clear from an inspection of Fig. 2, which shows the needle "at its highest point, that the plate 50 may be adjusted about the screw 51 as a center, thereby carrying the stud 5% toward or away from the axis of the rock-shaft 21 in a direction substantially at right angles to the length of the slot in the lever 71. This adjustment permits the feeding stroke of the feeding member 56 to be varied without appreciably aifecting the timing of the prolonged dwell portion 74- is spaced above the roller-stud 10. This allows the presser foot to be raised a certain distance when passing over small humps or ridges in the work without raising the auxiliary feeding member 56. It will thus be seen that this is in effect a lost motion connection between the supporting means fo the auxiliary member and the presser-foot and will allow the presser-foot to rise under the action ofsmall ridges etc, in the work without raising the auxiliary member from in contact therewith. but should the presscr-foot be raised for the insertion and removal of work the auxiliary feeding member will be raised also. The member 73 is, however, so adjusted in the supporting lever 66 that should the work pass out from under the presserfoot the action of the spring 79 will not force the teeth of the auxiliary member 56 into contact with the teeth of the main feed-dog 25. an event the lower edge of the overhanging portion 74 comes in contact with the upper side of the stud l0 and thus supports the auxiliary member 56 and its supporting mechanism.

It will also be noted that as the lifting movements are imparted to the member 56 by means of stud 47 on the member through-the fork 84;. that should the presserfoot be lifted and with it the hanger6e and" This is because in such driving lever 62, this connection assures perfeet freedom for them to rise and fall irrespective of the friction driving mechanism. It will further be seen that the spring 7 9 provides a yielding means acting independcntly of the presser-foot and its spring 18 to urge the auxiliary member into contact with the work. i

It is to be distinctly understood that the invention. is not limited to the specific construction shown and described, as the same is merely the preferred form of the invention as now appears to me.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention what I claim herein is l.-In a sewing machine, in combination with a stitching mechanism, a fulling feed having a fabric engaging element arranged for operation on fabric in advance of the stitching mechanism. means for imparting with stitching mechanism a feeding member, means for operating the feeding member comprisinga rock-shaft, a disk mounted to oscillate therewith and provided with a tapering opening, a yieldingly mounted member adapted to coact with said tapering opening and means connecting said yieldingly mounted member and the feeding member.

i 3. In a sewing machine, in combination with the stitching mechanism, a feeding element, an oscillating driving member, means connecting the driving member with the feeding element for imparting feeding movements thereto, a driven. member having frictional driving engagement with said driving member, and means connecting the driven member with the feeding element independently of the driving member to impart lifting movements to said feeding element.

' l. In a sewing machine, in combination with the stitching mechanism, a feeding element, an oscillating driving member, a driven member having frictional driving engagement with said driving member, means whereby feeding movements are imparted to the feeding element from one of said members and means connected to theother member independently of the first member whereby lifting movements are imparted to said feeding element from the said other member.

5.'In a sewing machine, in combination with the stitching mechanism, a feeding element, an oscillating I driving member, a driven member having frictional driving engagement with the first member and means connected with the driven member independently of the driving member'for imparting movements from the driven member to the feeding element.

In a sewing machine,in combination with the stitching mechanism, a feeding element, an oscillating driving member, a driven member having frictional driving engagement with the first member.' means connected with the drivenmember independently of the driving member for imparting movements from the driven member to the feeding element, and adjustable stop means for limiting the movements of the driven member.

7. In a sewing machine, in combination with the stitching mechanism, a feeding element, an oscillating driving member, a

driven member having frictional driving engagement with the first member, means for imparting movements from the driven men ber to the feeding element and yielding means for urging the feeding element into engagement with the work.

8. In a sewing machine, in combination with the stitching mechanism, a feeding element, an oscillating driving member provided with a tapered opening, a driven member provided with a frusto-conical portion,

means for retaining the frusto-conical por-.

tion in frictional driving engagement with the walls of said opening, and means for transmitting movement from the driven member to the feeding element.

9. In a sewing machine, in combination with the stitching mechanism, cooperating presser and feeding elements for the work to be stitched, an auxiliary feeding element adapted to engage the work in advance of the stitching mechanism, means for supporting and operating the auxiliary feeding element including a lever fulcrumed on the frame of the machine, a lost motion connection between the lever and the presser element and yielding means acting through said lever to urge the auxiliary feeding ele ment against the work. I

10. In a sewing machine, in combination with the stitchingmechanism, cooperating presser and feeding means for the worlr to be stitched, an auxiliary feeding element adapted to engage the work in advance of the stitchingmechanism, operating means therefor comprising an oscillating driving member, a driven member having frictional driving engagement with the driving member, a supporting lever'fulcrumed on the frame of the machine and having lost motion connection with the presser element, means pivoted to the supporting lever and connected with the driving element for transmitting movement to the auxiliary feeding element, means connected with the a the driven member to the auxiliary feeding element and yielding means acting through the supporting lever to urge the auxiliary feeding element against the Work.

11. In a sewing machine, in combination -with stitch-forming mechanism, a falling feed having a fabric engaging element arranged for operation on fabric in advance of the stitch-forming mechanism, means for imparting feeding and lifting movements to said element including a friction-drive connection and means for causing a prolonged dwell at the end of the feeding movements.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALBERT H. DE VOE. 

